Web adjuster

ABSTRACT

A WEB ADJUSTER IN WHICH THE WEB IS PLAYED AROUND A ROLLER AND BETWEEN A PAIR OF GRIPPING PLATES URGED BY SPRINGS IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS RELATIVELY TO THE WEB AND ENGAGING OPPOSITE FACES OF A BRANCH OF THE WEB. THE PLATES ARE GUIDED FOR MOVEMENT TOWARD EACH OTHER SO AS TO GRIP THE WEB BETWEEN THEIR ADJACENT FACES. THE PLATES HAVE UNIDIRECTIONAL GRIPPING TEETH ON THEM WITH ROUNDED TIPS FOR GRIPPING THE WEB WHEN PULLED IN ONE DIRECTION, AND ONE OF THE PLATES HAS A PULLING STRAP   CONNECTED TO IT FOR MANUALLY PULLING IT AWAY FROM THE SECOND PLATE TO RELEASE THE GRIP ON THE WEB FOR ADJUSTMENT IN SAID DIRECTION.

United States Patent [72] Inventor John A. Gaylord 3,262,738 7/1966 .lantzen 297/388 San Rafael, C2111. 3,343,873 9/1967 Bayon 297/385 [2]] Appl. No. 791,851 3,344,486 10/1967 Eveland.... 24/194 [22] Filed Dec. 19,1968 3,442,529 5/1969 Lewis et a1 297/388X [45] Patented June 28, 1971 v 3,486,792 12/1969 Stolfel 297/388 [73} Assignee H. Koch 8: Sons, Inc., Corte Madera, Calif. I Primary Examiner stanley N Gmemh Assistant Examiner-Werner H. Schroeder (54] WEB ADJUSTER AttameyGeorge B. White 8 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. CI 24/194, 7

24/171 ABSTRACT: A web adjuster in which the web is played [51 Int. Cl A441) 11/10 around a roller and between a pair of gripping plates urged by {50] Field 01 Search 24/171, Springs in opposite directions relatively to the web and engag 1397585381388, 389242/107'2' ing opposite faces of a branch of the web. The plates are guided for movement toward each other so as to grip the web f ed between their adjacent faces. The plates have unidirectional [56] Re It gripping teeth on them with rounded tips for gripping the web UNrTED STATES PATENTS when pulled in one direction, and one of the plates has a 403,254 l 889 Doddridge 24/171 pulling strap connected to it for manually pulling it away from 2.437.729 3/1943 Easter u 4 the second plate to release the grip on the 'web for adjustment 3,231,307 1/1966 Smith 297/388 in aid direction.

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L I t t 7* J 2 J PATENTED JUH28 197i INVENTOR. .14 John 11.60%

Attorney WEB ADJUSTER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The problem this invention solves is to prevent the accidental release of the web so that the adjuster is able to support a predetermined load, yet the length of the web can be quickly adjusted in either direction. Resilient means urge the two plates so as to tightly grip the branch of the web between them up to a load predetermined by the tension of the springs, but by pulling on one of the gripping plates away from the other the same can be disengaged from the web so as to permit the adjustment of the web in the direction pulled by the load therein. Gripping elements on the adjacent faces of the plates are unidirectional, namely to resist movement in the direction of said load but permit adjustment in the opposite direction.

DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES F IG: 1 is a plane view of the adjuster.

FIG. w is a sectional view of the adjuster, the section being taken on lines 2-2 of FIG. 4. 7

FIG. 3 is an end view of the web adjuster.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the web adjuster.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the web adjuster with the web in position therethrough, the section being taken on lines S5 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a sectional detail view showing the rounded gripping teeth on the gripping plates.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In acasing 1 is supported a first plate 2 by means of roller guides 3 extended from the opposite sides of the plate 2 and riding in-suitable guide slots 4 in the casing-1. A web guide roller 6 is rotatably supported on a shaft 7 secured transversely in the casing 1 spaced from one end of the plate 2. On the other end of plate 2 there is a suitable arrangement for securing a pair of coil springs 7. In this illustration one end of each coil spring 7 is secured to a hook 8 on the adjusted end of the plate 2 and the other end of each spring 7 is anchored in an ear 9 extended from the respective adjacent sides of the casing I, as shown in FIG. 2, so that the spring tension normally urges the plate 2 away from the web guide roller 6. The web 11 is inserted through a slot 12 at the end of the plate 2 to which the springs 7 are connected. The slot 12 is offset slightly to one side of the idle face 13 of plate 2. The diameter of the roller 6 is larger than the width or thickness of the plate 2 and is so located that the top of the roller 6 is in registry with the gripping face 14 of the plate 2 and the bottom roller 6 is in registry with the slot 12. The guide slots 4 are generally parallel with the gripping face 14 of the plate 2.

The second gripping plate 16 is supported by guide rollers 17 extended from each side thereof, and by guide slots 18 so that the gripping surface 19 of the second plate 16 is superimposed on the gripping face 14 of the first plate 2. The guide slots 18 in the opposite sides of the casing 1 are inclined relatively to the guide slots 4 so as to converge toward the web guide roller 6. On the end of the second plate 16 is a lug 21 in which are hooked the adjacent ends of coil springs 22 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5. The coil springs 22 diverge toward the respective adjacent corners of the casing l and are hooked. on a cross shaft 23 so located that the web guide roller 6 is between the plates and the cross shaft 23 whereby the plate 16 is pulled by the springs 22 toward the web guide roller 6. On the other end of the second gripping plate 16 is a handlebar 24 into which is secured a handle strap 26 which extends through a slot 27 in the adjacent corner of the casing 1 to be accessible for manipulation.

The casing 1 also has an anchor roller 28 on a cross shaft29 spaced from the spring anchor shaft 23 so that the web guide roller 6 is located between the cross shaft 29 and the first gripping plate 2. The comer 31 of the casing 1 adjacent the anchor roller 28 is cut away so as to permit the hooking of an anchor webbing 32 on the anchor roller 28. An outlet slot 33 is provided between the slots 12 and 27 generally in registry with the space between the gripping plates 2 and 16 to accommodate the free end 34 of the web 11.

The gripping faces and 19 respectively of plates 2 and 16 are provided with teeth 36 as shown in FIG. 6. Each gripping tooth 36 has a biting face 37 which is substantially at right angles to the adjacent plate gripping face 14 or 19; an inclined back 38 and a rounded point 39, so formed that the gripping face 37 is facing away from the web guide roller 6.

In operation the-anchor loop of the web 11 is secured on the anchor roller 28 in the casing 1. Another anchor loop 41 of the web 11 is suitably anchored to a connection 42, for instance, on a parachute line. The web 11 is then played around an anchor roller 43 in a buckle 44, or the like,.on which the usual load is applied. Then the web 11 is inserted through the slot 12, around the web guide roller 6, and back between the gripping faces 14 and 19 of the plates 2 and 16, and finally out of the casing 1 through slot 33 on the same end where the free end was initially inserted.

THe springs 7 and 22 respectively pull the plates 2 and 14 in opposite directions, thus initially the plate 14 is pulled toward the plate 2. When pull or load is applied at the anchor roller 43 in the buckle 44, the web 11 bears against the biting face 37 of the teeth 36 and pulls the plates together toward the web guide roller 6, thereby causing the plates to grip the web even firmer.

In order to shorten the web 11 the free end 34 is pulled, and partly by reason of the rounded tips 39 of the teeth 36, the plates are pulled away from the web guide roller 6 and from one another, thereby slackening the grip on the web 11 and permitting the pulling of the web out of the casing 1 through slot 33 so that the distance betweenanchor loop 41 and the buckle anchor 43 is shortened.

To let out the web, the strap 26 is pulled so as to pull the gripping plate 16 away from the plate 2 and thereby to permit the load at the buckle 44 to pull the web 11 inwardly through slot 33 and out through slot 12.

I claim:

1. A web adjuster comprising a. a hollow casing,

b. a first gripping plate in the casing,

c. a second gripping plate superimposed on the first gripping plate,

d. coacting guide means on said plates and on said casing to guide said plates toward one another for. gripping a web therebetween,

e. resiliently yieldable means urging said gripping plates toward one another into gripping position,

f. a guide element in the casing spaced from said plates about which the web is played, said guide element registering substantially with the space between the adjacent faces of said gripping plates,

g. unidirectional gripping means on at least one of the adjacent superimposed faces of said gripping plates engaging the web between said plates in such direction that the load on said web around said guide element exerts a force on said gripping means pulling said plates toward one another,

h. manipulatable means for pulling at least one of said plates away from the other at will, and

i. means in said casing for anchoring one end of the web, said adjustable web played through said adjuster and around said guide element being secured to said anchored portion of said web.

2. The invention defined in claim 1 and i. said directional gripping means comprising a plurality of teeth on the gripping face of each plate,

j. the biting faces of said teeth facing oppositely to the direction of pull on the web by the load of the web,

k. the tips of said teeth being rounded, thereby to prevent tearing the web and allow the pulling of said web in opposite direction to the direction of gripping.

3. The invention defined in claim 1 and j. load connecting means interposed in said adjustable web,

said web being movable around or through said load con necting means.

. The invention defined in claim 3 and said load connecting means including an anchor roller and said adjustable web being played around said anchor roller before the web is threaded through said casing and between said plates.

5. A web adjuster comprising a. a hollow casing,

. a first gripping plate in the casing, a second gripping plate superimposed on the first gripping plate,

d. coacting guide means on said plates and on said casing to guide said plates toward one another for gripping a web therebetween,

e. resiliently yieldable means urging said gripping plates toward one another into gripping position,

a guide element in the casing spaced from said plates about which the web is played, said guide element registering substantially with the space between the adjacent faces of said gripping plates,

g. unidirectional gripping means on at least one of the adjacent superimposed faces of said gripping plates engaging the web between said plates in such direction that the load on said web around said guide element exerts a force on said gripping means pulling said plates toward one another,

. and manipulatable means for pulling at least one of said plates away from the other at will,

. said coacting means comprising interconnecting plate guide rollers and guide slots on opposite longitudinal sides of the plates,

. the guide slots at least at one of said plates converging toward the other plate and toward said guide element,

said guide element being a guide roller,

said manipulatable means being connected to the plate adjacent the converging slots,

in. anchor means to connect the casing to a support means,

n. load applying means, including an anchor roller around which said adjustable web is played before it is threaded around said guide element and between said plates.

6. The invention defined in claim 5 and 0. said unidirectional gripping means comprising teeth on the adjacent gripping surfaces of said plates, the biting faces of said teeth facing away from said guide element to resist movement ofthe web toward said guide roller,

p the tips of said teeth being rounded to allow passage of the web between said teeth away from said guide element.

7. The invention defined in claim 6 and q. said casing having openings for the threading of said web into, through and out of said casing, and for said manipulatable means and said anchor means.

8. A web adjuster in combination with a web anchor and means to connect a load to an adjustable web, comprising,

a. an adjuster casing between the web anchor and said load applying means,

. an anchor in said casing,

means connecting said anchor in the casing to said web anchor,

. an anchor roller in said load applying means,

. a pair of superimposed plates in said casing,

plate guide rollers extending from opposite longitudinal sides of said plates,

. a web guide roller in said casing positioned between said plates and said anchor means, said adjustable web being connected to said anchor means and being played around said anchor roller and threaded through said casing around said web guide roller and between the superimposed faces of said plates and then out ofsaid casing,

. said casing having slots in its opposite sides accommodating the respective plate guide rollers, the slots adjacent to at least one of said plates converging toward the other plate so as to guide said plate toward the other plate, resilient means to urge said plates in opposite directions,

. gripping teeth on the superimposed faces of said plates, the teeth having gripping faces facing away from said web guide roller, thereby to resist movement of the free end of the web inwardly of the casing,

. the tips of said teeth being rounded to permit the pulling of the free end of the adjustable web between said teeth out of said casing for adjustment,

. a strap connected to the plate adjacent the converging slots and extended out of the casing for pulling the adjacent plate away from the other plate thereby to release said web for movement towards said guide roller. 

